House rules for emulating the movies

[firedrake]

I've been toying in my brain with some ideas for house rules to achieve the following ends:

- have combat go faster

- simulate the common movie idea that the smart hero can defeat the evil power-daddy

 

Before I proceed, let me say I've played Hero 2nd through 4th, but not 5th ed.

 

In the first category, I've been thinking about having action decisions made at the top of the turn. Players declare their desired actions for the next 12 seconds, and then we roll dice and resolve those actions. Changing your mind would result in some penalty, and only minor changes could be made.

 

For the second, I've been thinking about having a "tactics" role at the begin of the turn, and as a result of that, the player would have some number of temporary levels to apply to combat during the next round. The player would then need to come up with a short dramatic explaination of what character is doing when they use these levels. I'm thinking along the lines of a barfight, and player would use the levels to represent the character positioning herself near support posts and then quick ducking behind it or being near a bottle of liquor doing something creative with it.

 

I curious if anyone has tried these kind of ideas before and how it turned out or if anyone sees any major unbalancing effects.

[Tom McCarthy]

I played around with having the lowest DEX in the phase declare first, but act last. The value of a high DEX went through the roof.

 

I tried having all the actions in the phase declared before any were resolved. It was a little better, but only marginally so. Declaring the whole turn ? I don't think you can make anything but broad indications of strategy.

[Vondy]

I've used some rules I converted from the Jovian Chronicles game --

 

WOO Factor:

 

The John Woo, or Weapons Out of Ordinance, factor. Characters only run out of bullets at points of dramatic tension, and only have to change clips when there's plot reason for it. It encourages characters to rapid fire a lot (even if they miss a bunch) and "blaze away". I've done it like this:

 

Extra Bullets/Clips (X Charges), Ablative.

 

In other words: everytime the character empties a clip they make a roll to see if they have more bullets, or clips, as is appropriate to the scene (GM's discretion). If you're a real chow yun fat type it may be a roll to see if you have more guns....

 

Each time they make the roll it gets harder to make: 15-, 14-, 12-, 11-, 10-, 8-...

 

This is only appropriate to highly cinematic games with lots of thugs for the hero to shoot through.

 

Existential Angst:

 

There comes those moments where the character snaps and becomes an uber-fighting machine, often when friends or family are brutalized or killed, or some other traumatic event occurs. This usually lasts for a single scene or adventure, after which the character returns to "normal". I've done it like this:

 

Its assumed some situations, at the GMs discretion, may require the character to make an ego roll (this should be discussed with the player). If they fail the following is added to the character until the cause of their angst is removed:

 

Obsessed with Vengeance (Com, Total): 20 Points

Filled With Existential Angst (Com, Total): 20 Points

 

2d6 Dex Aid, Self Only, Only When Confronting Cause of Angst, Fades Per Minute

2d6 Con Aid, Self Only, Only When Confronting Cause of Angst, Fades Per Minute

2d6 Stun Aid, Self Only, Only When Confronting Cause of Angst, Fades Per Minute

 

What Fun!!!

 

Script Immunity:

 

Lets face it, protagonists and major villians shouldn't have to worry about one of the goons taking them out. Its not dramatic, and its not fun. Major characters should only have to worry about other major characters. Using this the GM doesn't have to feel like he has to hold back at every turn (what if I accidentally kill them all...?), or worrying about fudging a lot of the goons rolls. Only major characters have this (at no cost, of course):

 

8d6 Luck, Ablative, Only To Avoid Death or Serious Injury

 

It gets harder and harder to use script immunity: 15-, 14-, 12-, 11-, 10-, 8-

 

By the time the heroes have gotten to the major bad guy they should be hanging around 11- or worse, and he should still be around 14-, which is good since he'll probably be outnumbered....

 

Just like WOO Factor it gets harder and harder to make your roll

 

Goons Are Fragile:

 

If a hero hits a normal goon they go down. If he hits an elite goon he gets stunned. If a hero hits a henchman or major villian they fight as expected.

 

Use a Timer:

 

My players know they have about 30 seconds to decide what to do. If they don't I move on and they lose their action.

 

Description Bonuses:

 

Players who describe their characters actions in dramatic detail get a +1 OCV or DCV bonus.

[MoonHunter]

Pay Attention and Play Faster

 

First, Answer very few questions as players need to pay attention. If the question has been asked before, and the player missed it because they were not paying attention, have them make PER DRs at minuses to notice. After all people miss things in times of crisis. This rule keeps people focused on the game.

 

Second, Get a 60 second Egg Timer. A person's DEX comes up, slap the timer. They have exactly that long to tell you their intent. Questions cut into their 60 second time. The time can be cut down as your players grow in skill. If they can't declare their intent, they are in a state of delay. If they are repeatedly slow, the character looses the phase for anything except defensive actions.

 

Note: We have two timers running, a 30 second clock (for intent) and 2 minute timer, for resolution.

 

Once your players get used to playing in HIGH GEAR, they will play faster, have their plans predetermined, and generally be more functional.

 

Third, character description gives MODS. It is a simple thing. Only describe an action by its game mechanics or by a flat statement, take a -1 MOD. If the action is described in a "cool" or cinematically appropriate way, +1 MOD. Now descriptions like this take time. This is where cue cards come in. Every player should write down important bits of description for their characters for fast use in play. [These are traditionally done on 3x5 cards] This includes and is not limited to: Catch phrases (Eat HOT Photons!), good one liners the character will deliver (important in a superhero game), bits of action description (Chang cocks his legs for a high kick, narrows his eyes, then throws his snap kick to you), or other descriptions that can be quickly added to any action (Jason leaned forward, with a disarming smile, says ). Any related game mechanics are usually included on the card. This allows you to have great ideas on how to play your character while not playing, and have them at your fingertips when you are. Cue cards can be used without the description mods.

 

Fourth, if you want cinematic action, you need to throw out the "realism" modifiers and penalties. There are very few of these in Hero system, but I thought I should mention it.

 

Fifth, Remember to reward Proper Cinematic/ Fast play with extra experience points or goodies. It worked for Pavlov and it will work with gamers.

[MoonHunter]

I thought of some more

 

Faster play will help reduce the difference between combat time and time elapsed in the game. This will help you increase the fast paced cinematic feel of the combat.

 

You better be organized and ready to run the group. That means you need all your numbers, and the character's numbers at you fingertips.

 

State that you are not going to repeat. That specifically includes descriptions and initiative counts.

 

Push for speed. If on their initiative a player, who has had 15 minutes to figure out his next action, does not want to declare an action immediately... skip them until later in the count.

 

You should be running combat as fast as you humanly can... then go faster. If players realized that you are working really hard to make this go quickly, they will work with you.

 

Side conversations are forbidden at a volume over a whisper. This is a must in larger games, that are usually held in places that are too small.

 

Have players help other players with game mechanics and information. This relates to the whisper rule. If a player looks confused, stop, point at another player and tell them to help the confused one. Then move on.

 

Kill all distractions, that means the magic games (which can be put on hold), TV, CDs, and computers, must be in a neutral position and can not distract anyone.

 

Make sure everything is right there to be used.

 

Be prepared to give decription. Work with your own cue cards for your NPCS and Villians, so they can function well in the game.

 

Pre determine some general strategies before the game and try to impliment them.

[Galadorn]

Re: I thought of some more

 

It's very simple. Have Hero put together a computer game which rolls all the dice. Or better yet, and much easier, find one of the many random roll generators for computers already out there. It would be easier to find such generic roll generators, though, it wouldn't include all the proper skills and their combination/complimentary rolls.

 

But is there any shortcut for good, solid thinking? Planning your skills and strategy is essential to good play, and this can't be rushed. But at least the dice turns will be resolved quickly with a computer model.

[firedrake]

Not mutually exclusive

 

These are some great ideas.

 

I forgot to mention it upfront, but the group I would be running are predominately DnD fans, although there is a rumor that at least one other person has played Champions at some point in the past.

 

I have already experienced the joys of having a GM that has the numbers in a quick reference form, who has thought out general strategy ahead of time and who doesn't tolorate loud side conversations.

 

I am thinking of implementing cue cards as a phase 2 for further enjoyment, as our first few sessions will be brain-dead combat as the players learn the game session.

 

Back to the comments directly related to the ideas I started with, I take it that no one has tried replicating the DnD "round with multiple attacks" by having players make their action decisions at the top of the turn. Once Fantasy Hero comes out in July, I'll let you know how it works out. In the meantime, does anyone foresee any problems with such a houserule?

 

The "Low Dex declares first, High Dex Acts first" issue is well spoken. What about having low int declare first, or roll some perception/tactics/int based initiative at the start of combat, worst roll declares first. (If you haven't noticed, I want to give smarter characters some kind of combat advantage from being smart. Must be the "Revenge of the Nerds" in me). I guess this would be the "Low int declares first, high spd acts first" idea.

 

Of course, to really emulate DnD, I could have action declaration occur every 6 phases (i.e., 6 seconds or so), but would I really be playing hero then ;-?